By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
A needs assessment is being conducted on Bowling Green City School buildings to determine if the facilities are getting in the way of kids learning. And if that’s the case, what changes can be made that the community will support?
Two issues have already been decided.
First, the Bowling Green Board of Education voted unanimously earlier this month to move ahead on $3.9 million in air conditioning systems that will cool and clean the air in classrooms.
The mini split systems will provide air conditioning to cool the air and ionization to kill viruses in the three buildings without cooling systems – the high school, Conneaut Elementary and Kenwood Elementary. The air conditioners should be in place by next spring.
Due to the extreme heat forecasted this week, the beginning of the district’s school year has been postponed from this Wednesday to next Monday.
Second, the board entered an agreement with Fanning Howey Associates for master planning services. The firm will gather information to help the district decide on making building renovations, additions or new construction.
The contract with Fanning Howey will not exceed $40,000.
Board members Jill Carr and Ryan Myers have met with representatives from Fanning Howey on the proposed needs assessment and visioning exercises.
Myers reported to the school board last week that the visioning process will include a cross section of people with differing views on the school buildings. At some point, there will be two open community meetings on the facilities.
Voters in the district have rejected plans in the past to build one consolidated elementary school.
“We want to make sure what we’re doing is best for our schools and our community,” Myers said.
Fanning Howey has worked with 190 Ohio school districts to design buildings, including four districts in Wood County – Perrysburg, Eastwood, North Baltimore and Northwood.
The firm will study the building conditions, the enrollment and educational visioning – to determine if the district wants its buildings to be more student centered.
“How are you teaching today? How do you want to teach tomorrow? Is the building getting in the way?” asked Dan Obrynba, of Fanning Howey.
The visioning process looks beyond “if it was good enough for me … it’s good enough for kids today,” Obrynba said.
Fanning Howey believes education isn’t just the three “Rs,” but also several “Cs” for creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, character, communication, community and citizenship.
Obrynba has suggested the “visioning” process will begin by September, so a building issue could be on the ballot next May.
Also at last week’s board meeting, the school board renewed the contract of Treasurer Cathy Schuller for three years, with an annual salary of $120,000.
The board also approved a raise for Director of Transportation Toby Snow, from $66,405 to $82,500 a year. It was decided his previous pay was not adequate based on comparisons with other transportation directors.
